Intimidation factor: Nil. It is a small but airy boutique filled with exotica that inspires you to book the next flight to Africa.

Number of salespeople on floor: Two, co-owners Laura Serrafero and Christopher Johnson.

Response time: Immediate. Serrafero greets me from the back counter and Johnson’s disembodied voice emanates from a black curtain behind her like the Wizard of Oz’s.

Vibe: African safari meets AGO gift shop.

Price range: From $30 for wooden salad servers to $4,200 for an 18 karat gold-and-diamond necklace.

Rating: Four Bamileke tribe ceremonial headdresses out of four.

Since I am fascinated by bright shiny objects and all things African, I am delighted to stumble upon 323, part Eles jewelry shop; part Kiondo African Imports, purveyors of African art, furniture, bowls, baskets, masks, statues and textiles. The name “Kiondo” refers to a bag, hand-woven from sisal with leather trim, the first item co-owner Christopher Johnson bought in 1988.

How could I have missed such an exotic/esoteric shop? It’s been there five years, relocated from a previous location in Liberty Village they’d had for 15 years.

“Both our leases were up at the same time and Liberty Village rents are getting so high,” jeweller Laura Serrafero explains. “There were artists and designers; now its internet dot-commers.”

She and Johnson are partners in life and commerce. Both have fine-arts backgrounds (Serrafero studied sculpture and painting; Johnson is an illustrator) and the shop is both retail and wholesale. Johnson imports directly from Africa, selling to museums, collectors, interior designers and rents to TV and film productions. Serrafero’s jewelry is also sold at the AGO (including the upcoming Terminal 3 shop) and assorted galleries.

All bijoux are hand-crafted on site. Serrafero uses sterling silver and gold and has been making jewelry since 1993. Her unique silver closures are objets d’art in themselves. I love the crystal quartz necklace ($375) and a fresh-water pearl and oxidized silver cross necklace ($425). And her “twig” collection is insane. The ring is $625 in gold and $100 in silver.

“It’s based on a twig I picked up and made a mould,” she says. She also does custom work; a client comes in for sizing.

Her half is serene; his pulses with tribal energy — cue the drums. It’s cheaper than a flight to Nairobi and totally on trend given the tribal influence in fashion this season. Humungous hammered copper bracelets ($375) might not be wearable, but make dandy room accents as sculptures. A bed from the Ivory Coast holds brilliantly-hued cushions ($75 to $150) fabricated in mud cloth and real indigo.

Masks range from $95 to $1,500 and constitute introductory collectibles. Some are even beaded like the cheeky cobalt blue elephant. Or how about black nubby “spider stools” from Ivory Coast; “zebra” shields from the Congo as room dividers; or stools from Bali repurposed from old tropical wood from fallen trees in the forest? They are oxidized to wondrous hues of honey blond with dark water marks and perfect as bar/kitchen stools or even bedside tables.

“In the ’80s and ’90s it (Africana) was sold in crafty mom-and-pop shops and airport art,” Johnson says. “Now Canadians are more open to it; they’re seeing it in film.”

And they are snapping up ceremonial feather headdresses from Cameroon as wall décor. He has them in 15 colours made by the Bamileke tribe and worn as part of their royal court.

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